Group 48 Newsletter - June 2009

Newsletter Amnesty International USA Group 48

06.09

In This Issue . . .

2 Urge UN to Increase Civilian Protection in DRC

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1 Congressional In-District Lobby Weeks June 29th – July 5th

4 Vote imminent: Support Office for Global Women’s Issues 5 Central America RAN: Act to protect Human Rights Workers in Guatemala

AIUSA-Group 48 http://aipdx.org 503-227-1878 Next Meeting: Friday June 12th First Unitarian Church 1011 SW 12th Ave 7:00pm informal gathering 7:30pm meeting starts

NewsLetter Designed By Michelle Whitlock MichelleWhitlock.com

Congressional In-District Lobby Weeks, June 29th – July 5th

We need your help. Tens of thousands

of individuals will be detained tonight, tomorrow, and the next day at an average cost of $95 per person, per day. Among them are survivors of torture and human trafficking, undocumented immigrants, asylum seekers, lawful permanent residents, and even U.S. citizens. The individuals are caught in a U.S. immigration detention system that is expensive, ineffective, and that denies basic human rights. You can help fix it. Effective alternatives cost as little as $12 per day, and some commonsense measures will save money and help stop abuses against the more than 300,000 men, women and children detained each year. A few members of Congress have stepped forward to lead the reform.

With your help, leading a visit to your Representative or Senators, we'll press Congress to end human rights abuses in detention facilities in the US. Amnesty International will provide you with the support and training you need to be an effective Delegation Leader. Serving as a delegation leader will take a time commitment of about 15 hours, which includes reading background materials, participating in our online training, meeting with members of your delegation and meeting with your elected officials' office some time during the workday between June 29th – July 5th. Sign up at the link below! http://www.amnestyusa.org/immigrantdetention/join-a-delegation/page. do?id=1011618

AIUSA group 48 Newsletter June 2009 Pg 2

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eration into South Kivu will lead to the further displacement of hundreds of thousands of people in that province, on top of more than 1 million already displaced in North Kivu. Background

Fighting has been continuous in eastern DRC since 1996, when Rwanda and other neighboring countries invaded. At the beginning of 2009, Rwanda and DRC reached an agreement, whereby Rwanda would cease support for the Congolese Tutsi warlord, General Laurent Nkunda. In exchange, DRC would conduct joint military operations with Rwanda, against forces of the FDLR (predominantly Rwandan Hutu) in North Kivu province. Despite the end of the joint DRC-Rwanda military offensive against FDLR elements, the humanitarian situation has not »

Urge UN to Increase Civilian Protection in DRC

AIUSA Group 48 Contact Information

The key concern of Amnesty International in the Demo-

cratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the protection of civilians during the ongoing fighting. More than one million civilians have been displaced in North Kivu province,most recently during the joint Congo-Rwanda campaign against the FDLR(Rwandan Hutu militia linked to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and responsible for much of the violence in North and South Kivu. During the period May 14-21, 2009, the UN Security Council visited countries in Africa, including the DRC. The inability of MONUC, the UN peacekeeping force, to protect civilians in the Kivu region is a key concern of both the Security Council and Amnesty International. The Security Council has approved the sending of 3000 reinforcements to bolster MONUC but these have yet to materialize. MONUC is unable to respond to attacks on civilians in the Kivu provinces and will be unable to adequately protect civilians when MONUC and the FARDC (Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo, Congolese army) move against the FDLR in South Kivu province, as expected. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and others have expressed concern the military op-

Group Coordinator Joanne Lau 971-221-5450 [email protected] Concert Tabling Will Ware 503-227-5225 [email protected] Newsletter Editor Dan Webb 503-253-3491 [email protected] Treasurer Janan Stoll 503-282-8834 [email protected] Legislative Coordinator Dan Johnson 503-310-4540 [email protected]

Central Africa RAN OR State Death Penalty Coordinator Terrie Rodello 503-246-6836 [email protected] Central America RAN Marylou Noble 503-245-6923 marylou_noble@ yahoo.com Guantanamo cases & Darfur Jane Kristof [email protected] Marty Fromer 503-227-1878 [email protected] Indonesia RAN Max White 503-292-8168 [email protected]

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improved in North Kivu. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) found that since January, at least 150,000 were displaced and probably many more. Most displacements had occurred due to civilians escaping from FDLR activities. FDLR fighters have returned to many of their former positions since Rwandawithdrew its army and this has led to renewed violence and displacement. The FARDC (Congolese armed forces) are expected to extend their operations against the FDLR into South Kivu province, a stronghold of the FDLR. MONUC would collaborate with the FARDC in this campaign. Rwandan troops apparently would not be used. The joint operation might lead to further displacement and attacks on civilians by FDLR in South Kivu, as well as human rights violations by the FARDC. In addition to recent FDLR reprisal attacks in North Kivu, which have included many unlawful killings of civilians, rapes and other violations of international humanitarian law, there are already reports of threats and attacks against civilians in South Kivu by the FDLR. FARDC troops moving through South Kivu towards the front lines have also been responsible for numerous human rights violations, including rapes and the forced displacement of civilians from their homes. Amnesty International fears that this situation is likely to worsen. Action Request

Amnesty International believes the Security Council must take immediate steps to protect civilians in the DRC. Please write a polite letter, email or fax to Susan Rice, US Ambassador to the UN, urging the Security Council to take the following steps to protect civilians in the DRC. ◌◌Ensure that the additional 3000 peacekeeping troops, airlift and intelligence capacities authorized by the Security Council in November 2008 are placed in the DRC. Without these additional resources, MONUC will not be able to protect civilians in North Kivu and in South Kivu when MONUCFARDC operations begin. ◌◌Implement specific MONUC-FARDC plans to assist affected civilian populations in South Kivu, including the deploy- »

Event Announcement Civil Liberties Under the Obama Administration: Are We Still at Risk?  Public Forum on Civil Liberties and National Security Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 7:00 PM Portland State University Hatfield School of Government Urban Center 506 SW Mill, Second Floor Gallery (SW Mill between 5th and 6th Avenues) (Portland Streetcar, bus lines 8, 9, 12, 19, 94; parking available)  The National Lawyers Guild, the ACLU of Oregon and the American Constitution Society are sponsoring an evening seminar entitled "Civil Liberties Under the Obama Administration: Are We Still at Risk?". The seminar will cover continuing issues of race, preventive detention, the Obama administration's plans for Guantanamo detainees, and ethnic and religious profiling. Panelists will also highlight ongoing efforts by ACLU and National Lawyers Guild to uncover the abuses of the previous administration.  Speakers will include Tom Nelson and Ashlee Albies, lawyers who are litigating a case against the NSA for warrantless wiretapping; Steven Wax, Federal Public Defender, who has represented a number of Guantanamo detainees; David Fidanque, Executive Director of the ACLU of Oregon; and Joann Bowman, Director of Oregon Action.  

For more information contact: Mark Kramer: 503.243.2733; [email protected]

»

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ment of MONUC Joint Protection Teams successfully used in North Kivu and the establishment of humanitarian corridors by which aid could reach civilians cut off by the fighting. ◌◌Establish strong oversight of the implementation of the MONUC-FARDC plan to protect civilians during South Kivu operation due to the poor human rights record of the FARDC and the mixed history of joint MONUC-FARDC operation Sample Letter (If possible, please edit letter so it is in your own words.) Ambassador Susan Rice United States Ambassador to the United Nations United States Mission to the United Nations 140 East 45th Street New York, N.Y. 10017 Fax: 212-415-4053 Email: [email protected]

displaced since January of this year. Many unlawful killings of civilians, rapes and other violations of international humanitarian law are reported in the region. Without additional UN troops, this violence against civilians will increase. Please take the following concrete steps to protect women and other civilians in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo: ◌◌Ensure that the additional 3000 peacekeeping troops, airlift and intelligence capacities authorized by the Security Council in November 2008 are placed in the DRC. Without these additional resources, MONUC cannot protect civilians in North Kivu and in South Kivu when MONUC-FARDC operations begin in this province. ◌◌Implement specific MONUC-FARDC plans to assist affected civilian populations in South Kivu, including the deployment of MONUC Joint Protection Teams and the establishment of humanitarian corridors.

Dear Ambassador Rice, As a member of Amnesty International, I am writing to ask that the United States Government use its influence to urge the Security Council to specific action to protect civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

◌◌Establish careful oversight of the implementation of the MONUC-FARDC plan to protect civilians during the operation into South Kivu, given the poor human rights record of FARDC and the mixed history of joint MONUC-FARDC operations.

Over a million civilians have been displaced in the Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of Congo with 150,000

I look forward to learning what actions you undertake on these concerns.

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Vote imminent: Support Office for Global Women’s Issues

Hi friends, We need your help now to pass one of the

important provisions of the International Violence Against Women Act in the House next week! The provision is included in the  Department of State Authorization Act, (H.R. 2410) that has passed the House Foreign Affairs committee and is expected to be voted on by the full House next week.  Please make calls yourself and encourage constituents in the districts of House Democratic Representatives to call their Representatives in support of this provision (talking points are below).  You can reach House Representatives by calling 202 224-3121. »

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Talking points

As your constituent, I believe it is important to coordinate our foreign policy and assistance to empower women and to protect women and girls from violence globally. I want you to support the permanent establishment of the Office for Global Women's Issues at the Department of State in this year's State Department Authorization Act, H.R. 2410, and vote against any amendments that would weaken or

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Central America RAN: Act to protect Human Rights Workers in Guatemala Submitted by Marylou Noble RAN Coordinator for Central America

Nine members of staff at two prominent Guatemalan hu-

man rights organizations, SEDEM and UDEFEGUA, based in Guatemala city have received over 40 SMS text messages containing death threats. One of them has also been followed by armed unknown men. The SMS text messages make reference to their work seeking justice for the crimes committed during the 1960-1996 internal armed conflict. The lives of these activists could be at risk. The death threats and intimidation seem to be linked to the campaign that SEDEM and other Guatemalan human rights organizations have carried out in order to secure the release of all military files containing information about gross human rights violations committed during the internal armed conflict. After an almost 3-year-long judicial battle, on 9 February 2009 the Constitutional Court ordered the Guatemalan

eliminate this important office.  President Obama has already supported the establishment of this office by executive order. U.S. efforts to achieve its foreign policy goals of stability, poverty reduction, and an end to the HIV epidemic will be seriously hindered if they do not also address the epidemic of violence against women and girls.  Please let me know of your support for this important office.

authorities to hand over some of these files. The government partly complied with the order on 6 March but said that the rest of the files were missing. The Public Prosecutor’s Office has been charged with an investigation into the loss of the remaining files. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

UDEFEGUA works with and for human rights defenders in Guatemala. Since 2000 it has documented thousands of attacks, threats, acts of intimidation and even killings against Guatemalan activists in connection with their legitimate work. It has also supported them with the legal procedures and follow-up with the authorities. RECOMMENDED ACTION

Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Spanish or your own language: ◌◌expressing concern for the safety of all members of staff working for the Guatemalan human rights organizations SEDEM and UDEFEGUA; ◌◌urging the authorities to provide effective protection for them, in strict accordance with their wishes; ◌◌calling on the authorities to order a swift, full and impartial investigation into the incidents, to make the results public and to bring those responsible to justice; ◌◌reminding the authorities of the right of human rights defenders to carry out their activities without any restrictions or fear of reprisals, as set out in the UN Declaration on the Rights and Responsibilities of Individuals, Groups and Institutions to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. »

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APPEALS TO

President of the Republic Lic. Álvaro Colom Presidente de la República Casa Presidencial, 6ª Avenida, 4-18, Zona 1. Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA Fax +502 2221 4423 +502 2238 3579 Salutation: Dear President/Estimado Sr. Presidente Minister of the Interior Sr. Salvador Gándara Ministro de Gobernación 6ª Avenida 13-71, Zona 1, Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA Fax: +502 2413 8658 Salutation: Dear Minister/Estimado Sr. Ministro Attorney General and Head of the Public Prosecutor’s Office Lic. José Amílcar Velásquez Zárate

Fiscal General de la República y Jefe del Ministerio Público 8ª Avenida 10-67, Zona 1, Antiguo Edificio del Banco de los Trabajadores, Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA Fax: +502 2411 9124 +502 2411 9326 Salutation: Dear Attorney General/ Estimado Sr. Fiscal General COPIES TO

Asociación para el Estudio y Promoción de la Seguridad en Democracia (SEDEM) 6 avenida 1-73, Zona 1 Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 17 June.

Postage

AIUSA group 48 Newsletter June 2009